


rent plan

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Series: down payment [1]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Canon Typical Weirdness, Character Study, Fluff, M/M, potentially canon divergent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 13:19:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15535125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: For the first time in his life, Gerry gets to choose.





	rent plan

**Author's Note:**

> a return to my username
> 
> not beta'd

 

  
“This isn't hell immemorial.” Gerry looks around at blinding white light until he can almost sort of make out the blur vaguely in front of him.  
  
“It's not.” There he is. Gertrude's replacement fidgets nervously in front of him, holding his page, his body, in a burned hand. “Well- I'm stuck here for another eight hours on a layover so, only partially hell.”  
  
“That's fun.” Gerry clears his throat and crosses his arms. “We had a promise. You made me a promise.”  
  
“I-I know. It's concerning that. Actually.” Jon stands up a little straighter and looks over his shoulder at the door.  
  
“Did you forget to lock it?”  
  
“I've had a fair amount of kidnappings lately. Can't be too careful.”  
  
“Are you the kidnapper or the kidnappee?”  
  
“The latter.”  
  
“Must be hard work, being an Archivist.” Jon nods and goes back to staring behind him. “Don't let me bother you.”  
  
“I-” He looks back at him- and probably for the first time- really looks at Gerry from head to toe.  
  
Now that the initial pain has worn off and his vision isn't blurry from it, he gives the room a slow look around. It's a private bathroom with a shower stall tucked in the corner. The entire place is white- white paint, white tiles, white towels, white products, even the mirror is ringed white. And the lights being on so strongly really isn't helping the situation any.  
  
Stuck here for another eight hours must mean airport- fancy bathroom must mean lounge, probably first class-  Gerry doesn't remember Gertrude ever flying first class. Or even business.  
  
“Has the salary gone up since I've been entombed?”  
  
“I was supposed to be on a plane a few days ago. This is the thing the Institute secretary could find.”  
  
“Huh.” He clears his throat again. It's hard to remember that he doesn't have to breathe anymore. “So?”  
  
“...So?” Jon looks at him in confusion. Good to know this is the person he decided to be his first and only friend. He gets a better look at him now too- covered in scars and a little disheveled. Certainly no Gertrude.  
  
“The promise you're neglecting?”  
  
“Right.” Jon nods vigorously and pulls out his stupid lighter. “Here's the thing- I got to thinking and-” He shakes his head, face tinting a little redder. It sort of suits him. In an odd way. “I just- I thought you should have a choice in the matter. Of where I burn the page.”  
  
“Me.”  
  
“Where I... Where I burn you.” Gerry's eyebrows go up before he can help it. He's never been good at hiding his emotions.  
  
“Why should I care?” The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. Well- when he's a piece of paper it's not like he really has a mind to cross but. He's dreamt about his death by fire plenty of times when he was younger. When he was alive. The Where never really entered the equation.  
  
“I was sitting on a bus for four hours, and I started thinking about everything you told me-”  
  
“Plenty to mull over.”  
  
“Right- so I got to thinking about Mary and-”  
  
“Dreadful thing to do. Don't really recommend it.”  
  
“It sounded like you didn't get to make a lot of your own choices, growing up.” That shuts him up pretty thoroughly. “So it only seemed right to let you pick if you wanted it done here- away from England. If you – if you wanted of course. Or vice versa- if going home would have been better seeing as how you've been away from it for as long as you have.”  
  
“Oh.” That's about all he can say.  
  
The first impulse, the strongest, forged by his mother, and Leitner, and Gertrude, and every single horrorterror he's been forced to deal with is to say that he doesn't care. It's almost knee-jerk. He lifts his hand to his mouth to stop himself.  
  
The second, slower and deeper the then first is to laugh it off. That this must be a joke or that Jon already burned the page and this was just the last remnants of his broken mind to rationalize an answer as to why the burn is taking so long and there's no sting to come with it.  
  
The third, the one he settles on, is unrelenting gratefulness.  
  
The Archivist is right, of course. He's never really been given choices. Not choices that mattered. And certainly not by another person before.  
  
“Are you alright?” He must have frozen in thought because Jon's left waving his burned hand in front of Gerry's face. “Does it hurt so soon after the last time- should I dismiss you- this was stupid-”  
  
“No! No- I- I'm good. Just needed a second. To process the. The best course of action.” His voice most certainly doesn't crack, and his eyes most certainly don't water. Jon nods, so understanding.  
  
“You just kind of- still imaged for a second. I just-”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“...Yeah. Like I said. Eight-hour layover. And then straight to Heathrow.”  
  
“First class?” There's color to the Archivist's face again.  
  
“Yeah.” Gerry nods.  
  
He wants a cigarette so badly, he's pretty sure his teeth are itching for it.  
  
“Could you light up? It always helped me think.”  
  
“Oh- Yeah of course. You don't mind Marlboro do you?” Why is he not surprised. Gerry laughs, weirdly delighted by the entire day's events.  
  
“God, you're actually rolling in it aren't you?”  
  
“It's the only ones they had a duty free- I swear I'm not trying to-”  
  
“I'm messing with you. I only had Mayfair's most of the time. Gertrude liked Marlboro's though. I'm used to them.”  
  
“Oh.” Jon lifts on up to his lips and lights, taking a long drag and letting it out of his nose before aggressively waving his arms around to try and defuse it. Gerry looks around and spots the smoke detector. Right, airport. “Don't worry about it.” He coughs a little, and the last of the smoke comes out of his mouth.  
  
“You can just talk at them till they leave, right?”  
  
“Right.”  
  
The smell, as muted as it is coming over to him, does clear his mind a bit. Reminds him of so many different things. All sorts of different colors.  
  
“I think I'd-” Jon turns to look at him again and- He's struck with the desire to have known him before. If only out of curiosity. Or maybe he wants to know him purely physically- honestly he's surprised that part of his brain still works. “I'd like to go home with you.”  
  
“Alright, Gerry.” It's spoken with a kindness Gerry isn't used to. “Home it is.”  
  
“Yeah.” If he had a mouth, it would be dry right about now. “So- See you then?”  
  
“See you then. I dismiss you.” 

  
…

  
  
His vision is white for a while- as always the searing pain of unintended existence really makes itself home in him- until Jon slowly materializes in front of him.  
  
“Welcome home, Gerry.” His voice is so soft, Gerry almost closes his eyes and gets ready to fall back into nothingness. He doesn't.

But it's a very close call.  
  
As soon as his eyes adjust he realizes he's standing in a home he could never hope to afford, and a grin spills on his face, giddy to have something to tease the Archivist with if only to see him blush as he did in the bathroom.  
  
“Not rich huh?”  
  
“What-” It must catch him off guard because he genuinely looks around the room of his own home like he's seeing it for the first time. “No- Listen.”  
  
“Mmhm?” He smiles at him. “I'm listening.”  
  
“Listen- It's- It's not mine- I mean- I didn't pay for it.”  
  
“Is your name on the lease?”  
  
“...It's on the deed.”  
  
“Jesus.” Gerry whistles. “You can just admit it.”  
  
“It's- Complicated.”  
  
“I like stories. Look at the people I hung around with.”  
  
“R-Right. I mentioned the kidnapped thing.”  
  
“You did.”  
  
“Afterwards, I need a new place to live because they knew where the old apartment was- which was very dingy- extremely dingy.”  
  
“Uh-huh.” Gerry can't remember the last time he had this much fun. If he ever had this much fun.  
  
“The avatar of the- well. I guess just The Spiral broke me out of the basement I was in and the body it's wearing now is- was a real estate agent so- we're in- I'm in its good graces right now.”  
  
“Oh shit.” That's honestly rather awe-inspiring. “And your boss doesn't mind you double dipping?”  
  
“He- Doesn't really know. I don't think?” Jon's voice rises towards the end, and it's very endearing. “Either way- A fireplace is a nicer final resting place then a bin in an airport. Right?”  
  
“Of course you have your own fireplace.” Jon gives a weak smile and points behind him. Gerry turns, and there it is. Lovely dark wood finish on a steel fireplace tucked neatly into the wall. So that's where it's going to happen then? It looks cozy. The entire room he's in looks cozy.

Good to know that there's something strong to keep his new friend safe.  
  
“I never lit it before- if that changes anything.” It does.  
  
For the first time in what feels like forever he doesn't want to go.  
  
“Uh- Can I ask you something?”  
  
“Yeah- Of course.” Of course.  
  
“What's your last name? Considering you know mine and are about to kill me and all-”  
  
“Did- I didn't- God- Sims. Jonathan Sims. Nice to meet you Gerry Keay.”  
  
“Likewise. I'd- I'd shake your hand but. You know.”  
  
“Yeah. I appreciate the gesture.”  
  
“How old are you? Like, fifty right?” Jon smiles and shakes his head.  
  
“Twenty-nine. Actually.” When Gerry gives him a look, Jon just nods slowly. That's young enough that he could have gone to college with him. If Gerry went to college.  
  
“I think you're younger then I am. By a year- or two- death you know- rattles the dates around.” Jon laughs, and oh, that's an excellent sound.  
  
“I'm younger then everyone I work with. And none of them believe it.”  
  
“It's the hair.” And the scars. And the resting look on Jonathan Sims' face. “It suits you- does that make sense?”  
  
“Not really but I- I appreciate the gesture.” He repeats and pulls of a cigarette, lighting it and blowing the smoke in Gerry's direction. “I wish I could give you something better as a send-off gift.”  
  
Right- He's about to die. That's- a lot to wrap his head around, all of a sudden.  
  
“It's better than nothing.”  
  
“Oh-” Jon smiles. “Leitner's dead. Thought that might cheer you up a bit. And that was him- the old man you beat up. That was Leitner.”  
  
“What- Seriously?” Gerry leans forward as much as he can in his solid position. “He didn't even have an accent!”  
  
“Yeah- He- Did you talk to him? He's just as insufferable as you imagine. Maybe even worse, honestly.”  
  
Gerry crosses his arms, and Jon blows more smoke in his direction.  
  
“Did you kill him?”  
  
“El- The boss did.”  
  
“Shame.”  
  
“He was... very thorough. With a pipe.”  
  
“Less of a shame.” Gerry smiles. “That's the best send off I can get, I think.”  
  
“Sorry I don't have anything else. Oh- I should ask. I don't know if this is even a plausible scenario but if Somehow- I find a way to bring you back in a body, should I peruse that?”  
  
“I-” He didn't really think about that either. “You know what? Sure? Knock yourself out. Resurrect me properly. If anyone can do it, it's probably the guy who's roommates with A Power.”  
  
“It doesn't-” Jon stops talking and smiles on last time. Kind and brilliant. “It was a pleasure knowing you, Gerry.”  
  
“You too, Jon. Good luck with- whatever you're doing.”  
  
Jon nods and picks up Gerry's page slowly. With all the gentleness one could possibly afford a piece of paper.  
  
“I hope I get to see you again sometime.”  
  
“Yeah.” Gerry laughs. “You're a good first friend to have.”  
  
Jon stalls for a moment- a second- his hand fidgets with the paper before seemingly straightening up right.  
  
“You are too.”  
  
Oh.  
  
For a second, he wants to tell him to stop- to take it back- to exist as a piece of paper over this man's mantle place until-  
  
Until what?

Until the void comes here- and rips this man apart? Until one day he doesn't come home, and Gerry's trapped like that for all eternity? Until he falls out of grace with The Spiral or The Eye and something comes and takes him away just like every other thing in the world Gerry's ever cared about?  
  
And how bad is the pain going to get? Only worse by every passing moment.

Or will it stop at some point?  
  
Then he looks at the fire and looks at the man he's only known for maybe an hour all together.  
  
And Gerry chooses.  
  
“Listen-” Jon's eyes are a little red- but maybe it's just the light of the fire that makes it look like he's as sad as Gerry thinks he is.  
  
“Did I say the wrong thing?”  
  
“Probably.” Gerry shakes his head and gives him a big smile. “I don't have to go, right now. Right?”  
  
“You don't have to go at all- you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. That's sort of the whole point, right? Nothing but time? Choices?” Jon's unscarred- less scarred hand lifts up to his face.  
  
“Right. So- Really sorry to spring this on you- but considering your roommate is the physical embodiment of fear, comparatively. I don't take up a lot of space. So. Maybe we could. Work out a rent plan? Down payment of some kind. I have so many offshore accounts.”  
  
“You're- serious?” Jon laughs nervously before very carefully- honestly, Gerry's never been handled this carefully in his life, it's kind of hot, frankly, a little bit, but then wouldn't that be a fun accident, flying right into the fire that's been lit for him- setting him back down on the table.  
  
“Obviously.”  
  
“I mean, considering I own the house, there's probably a better way to spend that money.” The smile on his face must reach all the way to his ears.  
  
“Just maybe.”  
  
“It's not- It's not going to hurt you more, right? Not- not dying?”  
  
“I don't imagine it's going to get any worse, right?” Gerry shrugs. “I can handle pain. No worries. When do I get to meet the famous roommate?”  
  
“Gerry.”  
  
“I'm serious. It's fine.”  
  
“You're sure?”  
  
“I'm sure. I want to wait.”  
  
“Okay. Should- Should I get you a bookshelf or-”  
  
“Oh boy, a whole shelf all to myself. Be careful, roomie might get jealous and is that Really someone you want leaving you passive aggressive post it notes on the fridge?”  
  
Jon's smile makes his eyes crinkle just a little bit.  
  
Gerry's overjoyed to know this is the person he chose to be his friend.

**Author's Note:**

> comments always encouraged and very very very appreciated
> 
> come [yell at me](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/)
> 
> anyway in the first draft he died and that made me cry and i've Frankly had enough of that lately So
> 
> and also honestly? is he going to burn him in canon? because my money is on no


End file.
